Then and now: The Provident Loan Society of New York

As Eater reported Friday, the Element Nightclub on Houston and Essex is closing... Sunday marks the club's last night... Per Element management: "We are sad to say that the management of Element contacted us earlier to let us know that The Bank has been sold. They aren't sure what it will become but the one thing that is for sure is that it will no longer be a club."

I've lost track of how many clubs this space has been in the last 15 or so years... The space was originally The Provident Loan Society of New York, which opened here in 1912... the space served as a studio for Jasper Johns in the 1970s...

Amazingly enough, the classic revival brick building has retained its look through the years... Here are some photos from the NYPL Digital Gallery..... the first photo isn't dated...



from 1936...



from 1935...


and today...



I wonder if, in 1912, locals were annoyed that another bank branch was opening...

The possible future of 200 Avenue A: A destination restaurant 'that involves all the senses'

Tonight, the folks who want to take over 200 Avenue A (aka, Superdive) go before the CB3/SLA subcommittee... Last Monday, the team who plans to open a new restaurant here met with neighbors to explain the concept...

I did exchange e-mails with one of the partners who wants to take over the space... However, we never were able to meet to discuss the concept. Jill at Blah Blog Blah attended last Monday's confab... and she passed along some notes....

• They were very sincere in their desire to create something special and unique that would also provide a high return on investment.

• They were truly surprised that there would be opposition to their concept. They knew that SuperDive had a lot of problems ... but did not seem sensitive to the issues about how SuperDive had impacted the residents.

• Most of the owners/investors (there were about 6 people there from their organization) had never been to the block on a weekend night. The residents with the most vocal opposition were those that have been directly impacted by the problems that SuperDive caused in terms of direct noise and loss of sleep and lowered quality of life from those crowds. The next set of opposition came from people who are dismayed with the change of character in the neighborhood brought on by the frat bars, as well as the loss of retail diversity.

• Their concept is more about the concept and the branding than about food. They don't have a menu, prices or chef, but they do have an idea, funding and a manager.

• The landlord representative said that the owner of the building will not consider any tenant other than a restaurant ... but did not want something that was only a bar.

• They want to create a "destination restaurant" that involves all the senses. They will have several large video screens in the back room lounge, with couches and maybe a smell machine. In the front there will be a 13-foot bar with an unknown number of seats and an unknown number of tables seating an unknown number of people.

• They want to build a brand and then take it to the west coast (or possibly sell it?). To my ears, I heard something akin to "Hard Rock Cafe" — a branded theme chain with locations all over the world.

• They did not have a menu, a potential menu, or a chef. When asked the price point of the entrees, they had no idea. When asked $8 or $30, they said "somewhere in between."

• They intend to operate 6 pm-4 am 7 nights a week, serving food until within an hour of closing. When asked if they would consider closing earlier, they said absolutely not.

• They will have doormen and not encourage the fratboy scene

• They intend to do extensive work to soundproof the interior

• They were unclear about the music but it would fit into their "sense" theme, and would be bringing in live music and djs for an event or specific purpose. Not rock bands, but amplified music is in their agenda. But it's not a nightclub. When asked if they would consider not having live music, they said absolutely not.

• They have never owned a restaurant with a liquor license. They ran a themed sandwich shop called Project Sandwich in Soho which closed after 9 months. They run 40+ sushi bars in supermarkets around the city and Long Island.

• They plan to invest $1 million in this venture

• They served delicious sushi and cookies, which I enjoyed to their fullest

I asked the Superdive owners about the future here... and via e-mail, Team Superdive said: "The liquor license has been put in safekeeping and we all look forward to Nov. 15 when a prospective purchaser, (a fine intelligent respectful gentleman i might add), appears before the beloved community board.

Hopefully, the trial by kafka is not the experience he undergoes. a bright light perhaps but please comm bd 3 — no waterboarding!!!"

Speaking of night's meeting, we hear that CB3/SLA chair Alexandra Militano won't be able to attend. We heard that she fell last week and had to have emergency surgery on her elbow.

At the B Bar, a new temporary wall and opening on the Bowery

Back in August, there was some chatter about the the additional cinder blocks that went up around the B Bar on the Bowery and Fourth Street.....maybe to prevent those spying eyes from 2 Cooper from seeing in the back of the B Bar...

Now, late last week, a temporary wall went up on the bar's Bowery side...







According to the DOB, the B Bar is adding "an additional opening in existing exterior wall on Bowery."

And, rather randomly on Friday afternoon, a bathtub outside the B Bar...

Today in car bomb drinks

At the Redhead on 13th Street near First Avenue.

Grand openings

Opening tonight at the former Xunta space on First Avenue near 11th Street...




Also!

Ichiban-Tei is now open on the northeast corner of 13th Street near First Avenue...




Last evening, they were giving out samples of their chicken nanban (boneless, skinless fried chicken in their special sauce) ... which was quite good... Fork in the Road wrote about Ichiban-Tei and their octopus balls last summer....

And...

Bust a move

On East Fifth Street and Avenue B.

Outside the Physical Graffiti building this morning

Given the dramatic photos of firefighters last night at 98 St. Mark's Place... I wasn't sure what to expect outside this morning...




While there isn't much evidence of damage from the sidewalk... a reader says one apartment was ruined.... and several others were flooded... No report of injuries.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Fire scare on St. Mark's Place at iconic Physical Graffiti building

Late-night fire at NYU's Barney Building

Several readers passed along word of a late-night (or early-morning) fire between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on East Ninth Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...

The fire occurred at the former Lucas A. Steinam School of Metal Working, 227 E. Ninth St. It is part of NYU's Barney Building. Here's what it looks like this morning. (Anyone happen to get photos at the scene?)





A worker on the scene sweeping up the broken glass on the sidewalk described it as "a really bad fire. It could have been a lot worse. There was a lot of gas out here." No word on any injuries.

Busy night here for the FDNY.

A Sunday morning

A man walking his dog on Houston and Avenue A drops a baggie of puppy poo into the trashcan. Right then, a garbage truck pulls up. Upon seeing this, the sanitation worker yells, "THANK YOU! No really, thank you so much. You cocksucker." A moment passes as the man hurries along. The sanitation worker isn't done. "DICK ASS."

Fire scare on St. Mark's Place at iconic Physical Graffiti building

A reader notes a fire scare this evening on St. Mark's Place at 96-98 St. Mark's Place — (the Physical Graffiti buildings) ... Per the reader on the extent of the damage: "Not sure — [firefighters] ran two hoses up, had two truck ladders up to the roof and a few guys climbed up the fire escape to break windows and climb in. We smelled smoke but didn't see any flames. The building was totally soaked — water running down the staircase/hallway."

And a few photos (a few more are here):

Fifth Street and Avenue A, 8:31 p.m., Nov. 13

Bus stop

Yesterday morning on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.... another one of those Americana moments that gives the neighborhood a small-town vibe...

Noted

That was fast: Cafe Hanover on the market after five months in business

Back in the heady days of June, Cafe Hanover owners celebrated their grand opening on St. Mark's Place in the former Mondo Kim's space.



In a ceremony worthy of a funeral...



A few seizures here and there... and today, the space is now for rent...

Third Street, 9:47 p.m., Nov. 12

Some German Propaganda

A little German synthpop from 1985 courtesy of Propaganda.

EVLambo gets around

Opportunity bites

A reader notes that this flyer has been on his building's front door all week ... and they do seem to be everywhere. The ads. And probably the bedbugs.

Infant rescued in Ageloff Towers fire

The Post has the story of firefighters saving a baby in yesterday morning's blaze at the Ageloff Towers. The paper reports that seven people suffered minor injuries during the fire.

[Post photo by William Farrington]

11th Street condo owners want to chop down this willow tree

A group of condo owners at 613-617 E. 11th St. between Avenue B and Avenue C are discussing removing a 60-foot tall willow tree in their backyard because, according to residents, they don't want to pay for pruning it. It has been claimed that the underlying reason may be simply that they don't want to clean up the tree's leaves.

Older neighbors want to preserve it. There are also a lot of community gardeners on the block.

This tree has an interesting history. It belongs to a willow tree seeding effort throughout Loisaida in the early gardening movement. You can see many of the remaining willows in gardens along Avenue C ... and on the streets between Avenue B and Avenue C. (For example, there is a nice one on Eighth Street near Avenue C ... and several in the La Plaza Cultural de Armando Perez garden on Avenue C and Ninth Street.)

This particular tree was cared for by a long-time Ukrainian woman who lived for about 50 years as the sole occupant of an abandoned five-story tenement — long before the squatter movement — without electricity, water or heat.

Maria agreed to vacate her building and move to another nearby apartment in the late 1990s. She left on the condition that her two willows not be destroyed. In the process of construction around 2000, workers sawed down one of the trees. A local gardener prevented the remaining willow with his body. That tree is now being threatened again.

It's a story of newcomers with little history destroying local history for their convenience and comfort. And for their backyard amenities, which, of course, are a staple of urban living, as distinct from suburban style.

One concerned resident said that the condo board president will re-evaluate the decision to have the tree removed. According to the resident, the condo owners want to prevent any possible risk of the tree falling. The playground for P.S. 61 is in the space adjacent to 613-617.

More on the history of 222 E. 13th St.

Last Friday, we posted about 222 E. 13th St. — a reader had asked whether the long-abandoned home was haunted. And we received an incredible response from several readers ... You can read some of the history of the address here.

Clues about EV Lambo owner: 'always accompanied by beautiful blonde' (duh!)

Scoopy has an awesome scoop in this week's issue of The Villager.... In part:

As reported by the blog EV Grieve [editor's note: Woo!], a mysterious burnt-orange Lamborghini has been turning heads in the East Village, where it seems to live. We’ve seen it slinking its way down Avenue A, like a sleek cat, emitting a sexy, powerful rumble from its engine — while hopelessly stuck in slow-moving traffic. We were surprised then last Thursday to see that the “orange Lambo” had commuted crosstown and parked right outside our office at Soho Square. .... Monday morning, and lo and behold, there it was again, parked by Soho Square .... This particular luxury sports vehicle does have one small flaw, however: Its right side-view mirror was broken off and is being held on with tape. Oh well, like they say — nobody’s perfect, not even the awesome East Village Lambo. Nelson, our building super at 145 Sixth Ave., tells us he’s noticed the car parking around the area for the past two weeks. The Lambo’s driver is a man, about age 35, who is always accompanied by a “beautiful” blonde female passenger, Nelson said. The man works nearby, he said.

[Photo by Scoopy!]

Previous EV Lambo coverage right this way.

Meanwhile, outside the Mars Bar...

Didn't want to the EV Lambo to be lonely.

Flashback to one of my all-time favorite photos right here.

Mary Ann's still closed; 3 of 4 eateries currently shuttered on Second Avenue and Fifth Street

Signs out front still say they'll reopen on Nov. 4. We have spotted several people inside working around the eatery's bar area here at Second Avenue and Fifth Street.

Although this closure is certainly temporary, seems weird to have three of the four restaurants on this corner shuttered. (And the fourth, the Moonstruck, has been temporarily shuttered in the past too.)

This afternoon at Ageloff Towers

After this morning's fire on Avenue A at Fourth Street. Via @philmichaelson

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning edition

Man hit by falling AC on Second Avenue suing for $21 million (Daily News)

"Parrot aids girl in burglar chase" (EV Transitions)

A new EV Scribbler? (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

Another hotel for the LES? (BoweryBoogie)

Last drink for Goggla (and everyone else) at Ruby's? (The Gog Log)

Who needs extras on the set of "2 Days in New York?" (Nadie Se Conoce — full-frontal peepee alert)

Year-round outdoor dining (Eater)

Ageloff Towers update

Dramatic shot of the Ageloff Towers fire by Cluglife.

Per DNAinfo:

Fire officials on the scene said they arrived to see flames blowing out three windows of the corner apartment. Firefighters battled the blaze from inside the building — water was seen shooting out windows and onto the street. It took firefighters roughly an hour to get the fire under control, officials said.
FDNY officials said a couple lived in the apartment. No one was injured, but the apartment was completely destroyed, fire officials said.

Assessing the Ageloff Towers fire damage

A shot taken from EV Grieve reader Samo around 9:30 at the Ageloff Towers on Fourth Street and Avenue A.

And as we were first to report (thanks to jdx): "Fire on the 6th floor, east 4th side, caused by a burning towel left on the radiator. no fatalities."

Updated: Gothamist has more details.


Previously.